Virtualbox and Windows Activation

[theriver]

Hello

I'm quite used to using Virtual PC, but am intrigued by the thought of running a 64 bit OS on a 32 bit host and so have installed Virtualbox.

Fun fun fun so far, but the problem I am finding is that if I clone a Windows machine it asks to re-activate. I am nervous about running out of activations, so was wondering if anyone has a workaround for this?

[jamesfed]

Its asking to reactivate because you have (I presume) cloned a existing Windows PC and then moved into a virtual machine - because of this Windows has detected that it is running in new hardware and so by default will require a quick reactivation.

If you do ever come across a activation problem (Windows XP/7) just call the number that comes up on the screen and have a quick chat with the Microsoft guys and they will set it straight. Only word of caution - if you have VMed a PC and try to reactivate it using a OEM licence (e.g. a sticky label that was put on the side of the PC by HP/Dell/Whoever) then by making it a VM you may well be in violation of the software licensing for that copy of Windows (this is why Microsoft came up with a new type of Licence for Win 7 VMs).

[theriver]

Hello, thanks for the input.

In fact it's a fresh install of Windows, a retail version (not OEM) installed straight to the VM.

[jamesfed]

Hello, thanks for the input.

In fact it's a fresh install of Windows, a retail version (not OEM) installed straight to the VM.

You shouldn't have any problems in that case - one of the best things you can do with any Virtulised setup is activate the copy of Windows and then take a snapshot the moment after - that way all you do is roll back to that snapshot anytime you need and you won't need to reactivate again.

[theriver]

Yes - though in this case the benefit comes from being able to easily duplicate a base build for testing multi-server setups.

Looks like it's back to Virtual PC we go . . . .

Cheers.

[jamesfed]

Yes - though in this case the benefit comes from being able to easily duplicate a base build for testing multi-server setups.

Looks like it's back to Virtual PC we go . . . .

Cheers.

You can do the same in Virtual Box - just sysprep your PC, create some snapshots and attach new VMs to the diffferancing disks created by the snapshots.